Driving mechanism



mm wwwwm s H. B. GARMAN. DRIVING MECHANISM. 7 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, I919. 1,389,042. Patented g- 30, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ML" WW 7 3 I J22? wqys UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE;

HARRY B. GARMAN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES. THOMPSON,

' OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters lEatent. Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

Application filed June 7, 1919. serial No. 14,02,379.

To all w hom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY B. GARMAN, a citizen of the United States, resident of Detroit, county of Wayne, and State OflViichigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best inodein which I have contemplated applyingthat principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions. v

invention relates to driving mechanism and particularly to devices of that character designed for use upon passenger automobiles and automobile trucks. The design is intended to accomplish, in a more economical and satisfactory manner, the results set up in .U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,349,197 upon universal joints, issued to myself and David V. Buck. In many respects the construction herein shown and describedis similar to that set. up in saidU. S. Letters Patent No. 1,349,- 19,7. The particular. differences as between the two. inventions will be hereinafter set up in detail. However,'the most important difference between these two inventionsconsists ingreversing the standard spline provided automatically. for adjusting the center distance when under load. For illustration, the standard spline shown and described in said U. S. Letters Patent consists of a propeller shaft sleeve provided with an exterior spline and serving as the male'member, cooperating with a shell member provided with an interior'spline and adapted to be integrally secured to the transmission and serving as the female member. 1 My improved construction,-herein shown and described and here-.

inafterclaimed, consists in providing a hollow propeller shaft which is'butt welded'to a shell member having an internal spline and serving as the female member, adapted to cooperate'with an externalspline member se-;. cured to transmission elements such asthe chan esgearv set and serving as the male memher... articular advantages ofthis constructionivill be hereinafterset up in detail.

The annexed drawings. and the following description. set forth 7 in detail certain means embodying my invention, the dis- I closed means, however, constituting but .one of the various, mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings: 9

Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved driving mechanism, the housing therefor beingshown in section;

Fig. 2 represents a horizontal longitudinal section taken in the plane indicated by the lines 11-11, Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 represents a partial longitudinal section and a partial elevation taken in planes at right angles to the elevation taken inFig.1; p

Fig. 4 represents a. transverse vertical sec tion takenin the plane indicated by the lines IV IV, Fig. 1; and I Fig. 5 represents a vertical transverse section takenin the plane indicatedby the line V-V, Fig. 3. j 7

Referring to the annexed drawings, a hollow propeller shaft is indicatedby the ordinal 1 which is butt welded at its inner endt'o one end ofa sleeve member 2 formed upon its inner surface with a splineelement forming a female member and adapted to coop,- erate with the projecting end 3 of amale member welded to a joint element 4Lv and provided at that end with an exterior spline element. The sleeve 2 extends, as shown, to the outer end of-the joint element,4. The

hollow propeller shaft 1 is formed with abutton 1' acting as a stop for the grease furnished to the spline "members 2 and 3, this button 1 being fastened by abur caused by the flash when welding shaft 1 to member 2 The abutting ends of the elements 2and 3 are 'surroundedby a housing member 5 formed at one end with an internally threaded ferrule or nut member 6 adapted to, cooperate withanexternally threaded portion of the element 4:, said sleeve 5 being formed with stufiing box 7 at its other end. Said nut portion 6 is grooved to receive and securely hold a member 8 of the housing which will be hereinafter more fully described. Thesleeve member 5 is locked in place by means ofa lock wire 9 securedinthe nut member 6.. Suitable elongated holes 10 are formedin the member 4, as plainly shown. in Fig. 2,,forallowing. grease towork into thespline elements 2 and 3. I j 1 As was also true insaid U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,349,197, the joint element 4 which is adapted to be securedto the pro-f peller shaft end of the joint iS of a reduced members '21 are cross-section forming a tongue 11 of the shape plainly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The whole element 41 is a drop forging which is machined, alsoheat treated, and gl'OUIld on both sides. Adjacently the inner end of the reduced cross-section 11 of the joint element 4 is formed a clearance area indicated by the ordinal 12, for a purpose hereinafter mentioned and also fully described in said U. S. Letters Patent No.-1,349,197. Said reduced end portion 11 is formed at its outer end with a comparatively small protuberance 13 which is internally threaded to receive a threaded bolt 14, for a purpose hereinafter fully described. The adjacent portion ofthe element 11 is also internally threaded to receive and hold said bolt let. A cotter pin 14 passed through said protuberance 13 intersects the bolt 14 to retain the latter in place. The elements of the joint adapted to be secured to the changegear side are indicated by the ordinal 15,

there being a pair of said elements, oppositely disposed, of the shape plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and formed with a common annular flange 16. The interior oppositely disposed faces 17 of said joint elements 15 are bearing surfaces and are adapted tocooperate with journal members hereinafter fully described. These members 15 are drop forgings and the bearing surfaces 17 are machined at right angles to the diameter of theflange 16. The flange 16 is provided with cap screw holes 18 whereby the same may be secured to the flange of the driving hub 19 of the transmission member 20.

The elements of my joint disposed intermediately the propeller shaft element at and the transmission elements 15 comprise a pair of members 21 formed with end shou1- ders 22 disposed eXteriorly of and abutting the side faces of the members 15, 15, respectively. The members 21 are thus held to position by the members 15, respectively. These members 21 are machined all over, heat treated and ground. This construction is also similar to that shown in said U. S. Letters Patent. The exterior faces of the journal surfaces cooperate ing with the bearing surfaces 17 of the members 15 and the interior faces of the members 21 are plane surfaces adapted freely to slide relatively to the side faces 2 of the extended end portion 11 and to cooperate therewith. ment of the extended end portion 11 relatively to the interior opposing faces of the members .21 is approximately one hundred and eighty degrees (180) .and the range of movement of the journal surfaces ofthe members- 21 relativelyto the bearing surfaces 17 of the members 15 is suflicient for all practical purposes and is allowed for and the amount of which indicated, by the The range of moves clearance area 12. This last mentioned range of movements is similar to thatdisclosed in said U. S. Letters Patent wherein the range is indicated ,by special Fig. 5., The members 21 and the extended end portion 11 are secured together by means of a pin 23 inserted-through holes 24.- formed in the members 15 and registering with slots 25 formed in the members 21. Said pin 23 is formed with a circumferential groove 26 disposed in such a plane and of such dimensions as to receive the externally threaded bolt 14 hereinbefore mentioned. By this means, the position 'of the pin 23 is fixed.

This construction for thus securing, the pin 23 differs from that shown in said U. S. Letters Patent. r

I provide a housing for the jointfthe same consisting of the members 5 and 8 hereinbefore mentioned, secured at one end in the nut member 6, the member 8 being secured to and surrounding at its other enda third housing member 27, felt packing 28 being provided therebetween, as plainly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Said housing member 27 is formed with an annular flange 29 adapted to be secured to the flange 16 of the joint elements 15 and to the transmission hub member 19 through the medium of suitable cap screws and the holes 18, hereinbefore mentioned. A tapped hole in the housing provided with a pipe plug. allows for the insertion of lubricant, as

plainly indicated in Fig. 3, and suitablebil.

holes and grooves are suggested in the several figures, among which are holes .10-

specifically hereinbefore mentioned.

As a result of reversing the spline in the manner herein shown and describedand hereinafter claimed, I am'enabled to greatly;

increase the cross-sectionalarea of the :ho'h

low shaft 1, thereby providing the maxi;

mum surface for withstanding torsional strain, inproportion to the weight of metal used, and at the same time efficiently weld the hollow driving shaft to the auxiliary sleeve 2. This design also provides a satisf factory shaft of this character without the necessity of case hardening the parts. Thus, the design adds greatly to thestrength of the construction as well as reducing the firstf cost. j

What I claim is: 1. In driving mechanism, thepombination of a hollow driving .shaft; "a sleeve welded at one. end to the inner end of said shaft, and formed with interior splines'j a.

drivenshaft; a cooperating universal joint disposed between said shafts; and external splines disposed npon the joint sideof the mechanism and coijperating with said first-- mentioned splines to form centering means for said joint andidrivingshaft, said sleeve Ewing 5 2 nter end of said 'jointi 2. In driving mechanism, the combinasaid means comprising internal splines tion with a hollow propeller shaft and formed in said sleeve and a member setransmission means such as the changecured to said set and formed with cooperat- 10 gear set; of a sleeve forming a continuation in external splines. of said shaft and butt-Welded to the inner igned by me, this 17th day of May, 1919. end of said shaft; and centering means disposed intermediately of said shaft and set, V HARRY B. GARMAN. 

